A quiet Friday morning near MIT turned into a nightmare in seconds when a stolen car tore through a busy Cambridge intersection and plowed into a biomedical building, pinning a young pedestrian and leaving her with life-altering injuries. That January crash is now at the center of a high-profile case that has a Roslindale man facing a fresh indictment and renewed questions about how police handle suspected stolen vehicles in packed pedestrian corridors.
David Powell, 58, appeared in Middlesex Superior Court on Tuesday after a grand jury handed up an indictment tied to the Jan. 19 crash. He is charged with offenses that include assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, larceny of a motor vehicle and reckless operation. A magistrate set his bail at $175,000, according to WCVB.
Cambridge police say officers first spotted the vehicle after it was reported stolen in Boston and attempted to initiate a traffic stop near Massachusetts Avenue and Albany Street. They did not pursue, citing safety concerns in the busy area. Minutes later, the car allegedly sped down Albany Street and smashed into a building occupied by Intellia Therapeutics at the small rotary where Albany, Waverly and Erie streets meet, witnesses and officers told CBS Boston.
Prosecutors and the victim's family identified the pedestrian as 23-year-old art therapist Olivia Zerwas. They say she had just stepped out to get coffee when the vehicle jumped the curb, pinned her underneath and left her with a traumatic brain injury, broken bones in her back and legs, and severe burns. Her father told reporters she spent eight weeks in the ICU and faces a "multi-year" recovery, and court filings show Powell has 43 other criminal charges on his record, according to WHDH.
Charges and bail
Following the grand jury indictment, prosecutors formally listed six counts related to the crash, including assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and receiving a stolen motor vehicle. Powell was ordered held on $175,000 bail while investigators continue reviewing the case, per WCVB.
Powell's defense attorney has pushed back on any suggestion that the crash was intentional. He said Powell showed immediate remorse at the scene and did not target anyone on the sidewalk. "His [Powell's] reaction, shock, became tearful, it was instantaneous," defense lawyer Robert Christian told WHDH.
Investigation and next steps
The Cambridge Police Department and Middlesex County prosecutors are still gathering evidence, reviewing surveillance footage and interviewing witnesses as they consider whether additional charges are warranted. Powell is scheduled to return to Middlesex Superior Court for pretrial scheduling as the case moves forward, according to CBS Boston.
